Resembling a mirage experienced by a stranded voyager thirsting for an oasis in the blazing Sahara, perfume commercials are decadent feasts for the eyes that rarely ever feel grounded in reality. I love them. How can you sell viewers on a fragrance without even having them smell it? Picture Charlize Theron escaping from Versailles into a futuristic gold utopia. Envision Natalie Portman leaving her groom at the altar as she helicopters away with a mystery man over the ocean. Imagine Jennifer Lawrence diving headfirst into a pool in a white tulle gown. These are merely examples of Dior’s perfume campaigns. When thinking of the numerous brands, each with its collection of individual scents and corresponding ad campaigns, you could easily find yourself getting whisked into magical worlds of perfume ads for hours on end. Evocative and opulent, these enchanting and otherworldly campaigns captivate viewers, providing some of the best visual spectacles in the realms of beauty and fashion.

Chanel consistently ventures beyond the traditional approach of creating commercials, going as far as producing captivating short films. One recent example that created quite a buzz was the BLEU DE CHANEL campaign, directed by none other than Martin Scorsese and featuring the talented Timothée Chalamet. The collaboration of two industry giants for a perfume campaign generated immense anticipation, from the initial announcement to behind-the-scenes glimpses captured by passersby on the streets of New York. One viral clip even showcased Chalamet accidentally colliding with camera equipment, making it into the final cut.

This 60-second perfume ad transformed into a cinematic event, with the frenzy of publicity resembling that of a feature-length film release. Chalamet himself expressed his awe, stating, “It’s one of the highest honors, if not the highest honor of my career, to get to work with Martin Scorsese in New York.” In the short film, Scorsese satirizes Chalamet’s life of stardom, offering an escape in the form of a beckoning blue haze.

What sets this campaign apart from every other, giving it the status akin to a film? Was it Scorsese's direction? Chanel has a history of entrusting its creative reins to Hollywood filmmaking legends, with campaigns directed by Baz Luhrmann, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and Joe Wright. It's evident that the fashion house meticulously selects creative minds to represent them. However, I don’t think that was the sole reason. Was it Chalamet? The house has had a plethora of stars take on the coveted role of being the 'face' of Chanel, including Nicole Kidman, Kate Moss, Keira Knightley, and Blake Lively. While he is without a doubt one of the most talked-about actors today, Chalamet’s presence alone didn’t propel this campaign to the heights it achieved.

I believe the hype of this campaign can be attributed to the combination of these powerhouses and the impeccable timing of their collaboration. With the buzz around Scorsese’s much-anticipated film “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Chalamet’s cemented spot at the top of the Hollywood totem pole, in addition to his new role in “Wonka,” this duo was definitely one to cause a stir. The tidbits and behind-the-scenes content circulating on social media during filming certainly played a role in catapulting the success of the short film, as everyone was aware of what this pair was creating and couldn’t wait to see if the final product would live up to the hype.

The storyline itself, depicting the fast-paced life of a celebrity tinged with a dash of humor and the hyperactive setting of New York contrasted with the woman in blue offering solace from the chaos, showcased the fragrance as a token of escape and calm from the craziness that life brings for us all, celebrities and regular folk alike. This campaign was exactly what a fragrance ad should be: over-the-top opulence contrasted with the promise of an escape from reality, something that even those who seem to have everything would desperately desire. BLEU DE CHANEL proved to be a monumental success, leaving many, including myself, eagerly anticipating Chanel's next creative venture.